Marion County Animal Services Youth Foster Program

High school students can gain community service hours by participating in our youth foster program. With a parent's approval and willingness to accept kittens into the family home, a student can gain 10 service hours per week to use toward graduation requirements.

Our program is for students aged 16 years or older that are able to take home shelter kittens who are in need of foster care. These kittens are able to eat solid food, so they don't need to be bottle-fed, but they do need a few more weeks to grow to meet our adoption criteria. Supplies are provided.

All youth foster applicants must submit an application, which will then be reviewed by MCAS staff. If approved, students will be expected feed, water, clean, and socialize the kittens to ready them for adoption. Kittens will be returned to MCAS when they are eight weeks of age and healthy. Nursing kittens will not be available for this type of fostering, only kittens that have teeth and can eat solid food will be appropriate for this program. Students must be 16 years of age or older.